WALDORF, MD — Huntington Learning Center in Waldorf announced new ownership under Shawn Salta, a business leader with extensive experience in marketing, operations, supply chain management, and manufacturing. The transition brings Salta’s background in franchising and community involvement to the local tutoring and test preparation center, which serves families in Charles County and surrounding Southern Maryland areas.
Salta, president of DirectMail.com—a third-generation family-owned company—also founded ChesPax Sourcing, LLC, a sourcing firm offering turnkey production solutions. He owns, leases, and manages commercial and residential real estate across multiple states. In 2024, Salta acquired a Huntington Learning Center location in Gambrills, Maryland, marking his initial entry into ownership within the franchise network. His connection to Huntington dates back more than 15 years, when he collaborated with franchisees on local marketing initiatives through DirectMail.com, providing early insight into the organization’s model and its effects on student success.
Salta stated: “Education has always been a priority, and Huntington’s individualized approach allows us to deliver meaningful, measurable results for students. This opportunity aligns strong educational outcomes with a business model built on accountability and support.”
Under Salta’s ownership, the Waldorf center has implemented staff retraining, operational improvements, expanded instructional capacity, and enhanced family accessibility. Goals include increasing enrollment, strengthening community partnerships, and maintaining consistent academic progress for students from kindergarten through high school.
Brandy Merriman, Gretchen Ayres, and Gretchen Collinson continue to lead daily operations, building on established performance. The center provides individualized tutoring in subjects such as math, reading, writing, and science, alongside test preparation for exams including SAT, ACT, PSAT, AP courses, high school entrance tests, SSAT, HSPT, and ISEE. Programs emphasize data-driven, high-dosage instruction to build skills, confidence, and motivation.
Salta’s public service includes appointment by Governor Larry Hogan in 2022 to the Maryland Economic Development Commission. He previously chaired the Washington Metropolitan Postal Consumer Council as industry chairman and the Community Foundation of Southern Maryland. His career started in marketing and lead generation at A.G. Edwards & Sons, and he holds a Bachelor of Science in Economics from the University of Delaware.
Huntington Learning Center Waldorf operates as an independently owned and operated franchise, part of a national network focused on personalized education support. The announcement highlights Salta’s shift toward education advocacy, leveraging his business expertise to support local families amid ongoing needs for supplemental academic services in Southern Maryland.